There was a time when Bethel schools had no problem filling teaching positions in any subject - even math and science. That's not the case any more.

"In the old days, we would have 15 to 20 applicants for a science or math teaching position. Now it's one or two," associate superintendent Janice Jordan said. "The pool of good people is drying up and it's going to get much worse."

The trouble is that many science and math scholars can find more lucrative careers outside teaching. Also, new requirements from the federal No Child Left Behind act make it harder for teachers to meet the standards in those subjects.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell last week proposed spending $3 million to pay off student loans for college graduates who stay in Connecticut for at least five years and fill "high-need jobs." Some $1.5 million would go specifically for math and science teachers. Each teacher could get as much as $5,000 a year for five years to pay off loans.

"If someone has an inclination to teach, it would be a really important incentive for them," Jordan said of loan forgiveness. "A lot of people working in the private sector want to give back to the world. That kind of richness isn't in the private sector."

In recent years, the challenge is to find highly qualified teachers, as defined under No Child Left Behind. Before the federal law, anyone with a teaching certificate and a degree in any of the sciences could teach biology, chemistry, physics and other courses, Jordan said.

Now, a teacher must have a degree in the specific discipline - biology, for example - he or she is teaching to be considered highly qualified.

Vanessa DaSilva , a student at Western Connecticut State University , already earned a biology degree but recently returned to college to earn a teaching certificate.

"Initially, I wanted to keep my options open to either do teaching or lab work," she said. "So many jobs out there have incentives. If you offer incentives to do teaching, you'll have more people interested. This (loan repayment program) would definitely help me immensely."

Science teaching jobs are tougher to fill than math jobs, said Danbury Superintendent Eddie Davis . Physics and chemistry are by far the toughest science posts to fill, he said. Most schools also have shortages among special education teachers, librarians and world language teachers, Davis said.

Danbury sends principals and assistant principals to job fairs to interview candidates on the spot and make follow-up contact. Danbury has also increased entry-level teacher pay from $38,000 to $41,000 per year. Davis said the loan forgiveness program could provide an added incentive.

"A lot of people who have a strong background in math and science do not become teachers because they are pulled away into another career," Davis said. "Loan forgiveness will provide an incentive to teach."

The governor's loan forgiveness proposal will likely have widespread support in the legislature, said state Rep. Robert Godfrey , D-Danbury.

"It's a great idea, but it isn't a new idea," Godfrey said. "I recall this happening when I was in school in the '60s to get teachers in the big cities like Boston and New York. Many in the math and science fields can get better jobs elsewhere, so this bridges that gap."

In Ridgefield, schools had to turn to non-certified teachers to fill four teaching positions. To do this, the district hires long-term substitute teachers who are approved by the state Department of Education , said Karen Dewing , personnel director for Ridgefield schools. Other teachers - or prospective teachers graduating from college - are hired with the understanding that they must earn enough additional credits to teach a subject, Dewing said.

Dewing said it's hardest to find physics teachers. A recent opening produced six applicants, fewer than half the number the district used to get.

"We are experiencing the shortage at the high school level in math and science like every district," Dewing said. "It's growing concern."

The idea of loan forgiveness should be coupled with property tax abatements and other incentives for teachers, said Allen Fossbender , superintendent of Redding/Easton schools.

"We are a small district, so we have limited turnover," Fossbender said. "But the number of candidates for jobs is smaller significantly, particularly in grades nine through 12. Any incentive for someone to consider seriously entering the field of public education is welcome."